South Carolina Lt Governor Andre Bauer Calling for a Constitutional Convention

[Emit]

Health Care Reform Rift Inspires Call for Constitutional Convention
Tuesday, March 30, 2010


GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: Tea Party activists are not the only ones fired up, South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer announcing he is calling for a constitutional convention. Why? Well, let's ask him. Lieutenant Governor Bauer joins us live. Good evening, sir.

ANDRE BAUER, SOUTH CAROLINA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Good evening.

~snip~

VAN SUSTEREN: I said you're calling for a constitutional convention, so tell me why and how you're doing that.

BAUER: Well, we -- the people I talk to in South Carolina feel like the administration is running roughshod over individual rights and personal liberties that Americans have come to expect, and we want them back, quite frankly.

~snip~

BAUER: Well, I've actually been calling legislators throughout the country, talked to several lieutenant governors, and I've mailed letters out to the vast majority of legislatures throughout the United States, asking them to join us. It would it take 34 states to actually have a constitutional convention, and 38 states to ratify it if we move forward in doing so.

VAN SUSTEREN: Has any state or any other lieutenant governor or governor or even attorney general said, Look, sign me up?

BAUER: I actually talked to David Dewhurst in Texas yesterday. He was excited about it. Talked to Peter Kinder two days ago out in Missouri. He was excited about it. So the more people I talk to about it, they are going to go and talk to their legislature, as well. So we are moving forward. We only started work on this at the end of last week, getting our legislative counsel to go ahead and start drafting the convention. And so we're moving forward with this, and the momentum is growing.

VAN SUSTEREN: What is the likelihood that you get your state's legislature to go along with this?

BAUER: Well, I think people know in South Carolina -- we're extremely conservative, and we realize that we have now watched what the federal government has done and we've moved towards socialism. And people are scared. They don't want it. We know that only 20 percent of the entire country wants it. So I feel very confident it'll pass in South Carolina and many other states, as well.

~snip~

VAN SUSTEREN: I understand -- I understand your passion for it, but do you not agree that 34 states is an awful lot of states to try to collect?

BAUER: Sure, it is. But this is a battle that -- I sure don't want to give up on this battle. What we're losing is one sixth of the economy was socialized last week! I mean, this is a battle -- I can't think of a battle more important than stopping what's happening in Washington right now.

~snip~

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,590083,00.html

apologies for the source :)

[arcane1]

1. "individual rights and personal liberties that Americans have come to expect"

Do they ever actually spell out what these alleged rights are?

[JBoy]

13. No never. Overheated rhetoric works best if you stick to broad generalities.

[arcane1]

14. I guess they mean "our freedom to win every election"

effing crybabies, every one

[abelenkpe]

2. Nice way to say revolution

That is what the right is pushing for. Rebellion, revolution, anything to undermine the elected government and regain control.

They are irresponsible losers.

[Posteritatis]

3. He probably misses the three-fifths rule. (nt)

[Zoeisright]

4. What a fucking idiot. When Bush et al were REALLY trampling on our rights,

these nimrods didn't say a fucking word. Now they have their panties in a twist because a black man is President.

And yes, I would like to know exactly WHICH rights are being 'trampled on'.

Fuck him.

[atreides1]

10. I Agree With You FUCK HIM

Patriot Act: Okay
Warantless Wiretaps: Okay
Torture: Okay
Free Speech Zones: Okay


Health Care Reform = Violation of our individual rights and freedoms.

[RainDog]

5. just secede again, fuckers. then you won't get federal money

and we all know how the south loooooves to suck from the federal teat, all the while crying about it.

[Posteritatis]

6. They'd get federal money, just not in the way they like

Kinda like what happened last time, anyway. ;)

[Ter]

7. What exactly does a ConCon do?

Completely rewrite the US Constitution?

[Bucky]

18. At the risk of using an old punchline, it does anything it wants to.

When Constitutional Conventions meet, the rules can go out the window. It was the fear of exactly this in 1788 the convinced Madison and Washington to reverse positions and come out in favor of adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution. They're really powerful. A convention could decided its own method of ratification--say a simple majority plebiscite by 3/5s of the states--and that would be legally valid.

The way the 1787 Constitution was ratified, created its own novel, unprecedented standard for ratification and got away with it. Baggers could do the same. I doubt they'd ever pull it off, but there is that potential.

[Ter]

23. Do Tea Baggers really support this?

I remember hearing about a CC about 10 years ago. Someone had said not to worry, because the far left and far right both oppose a ConCon. Reason being: Both sides fear the other side will influence it. I guess times have changed. :(

[Thothmes]

25. It can amend the Constitution.

[quiet.american]

8. What's the matter with South Carolina? (Rhetorical question). nt

[liberalmuse]

9. Deja fucking Vu.

Last time SC did something like this, we had a Civil War.

[Selatius]

11. So he wants to dismantle the US over the idea that everyone should get access to health care?

Why not go after the health insurance companies themselves?

[Lex]

21. everyone has to buy from private insurance companies . . .

and that's socialism?

[Wapsie B]

12. Where was this idiot when the Patriot Act was enacted?

[Bucky]

15. I really loved his work on "Homicide: Life on the Streets", but this stuff just seems flaky.

Guess what they say about actors-turned-politicians is true.

[aquart]

17. That was Braugher who would never say silly stuff like this.

[tammywammy]

16. Sanford's a freaking prize compared to Bauer.

That's why there hasn't been a big push for Sanford to resign, the Lt Gov is a whack job (so says my conservative friend in SC).

[CurtEastPoint]

19. Miss Andre needs to be OUTED and soon. That'll put and end to it. n/t

[Lex]

20. the nation's health care turned over to private insurance companies

is socialism?

jezuz, these people are dumb

[LiberalYoKel]

22. "alleged rights"

"Do they ever actually spell out what these alleged rights are?"

Thank the lord Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania was nice enough to write them down for us. Then there is those pesky "additions" to them later. I thought liberals were for freedom and individual rights??

[onenote]

24. sadly, over the years I've seen a few DUers make this same suggestion

but fortunately, most DUers recognize what a horrible idea it is.